1. You are viewing our forum as a guest. For full access please Register. WindowsBBS.com is completely free, paid for by advertisers and donations.

System drive is F:, can I rename?

Discussion in 'PC Hardware' started by Ergath, 2006/08/24.

  1. 2006/08/24
    Ergath

    Ergath Inactive Thread Starter

    Joined:
    2006/08/23
    Messages:
    3
    Likes Received:
    0
    Hello everybody, I've just built a new system on the Asus P5W DH motherboard with one SATA hard drive in IDE mode and a DVD ROM on PATA. The BIOS detected the primary master as the DVD and the HD as the third master, and won't be told otherwise - there is no way to change this. I have an integrated card reader/floppy and so the hard drive has been allocated the drive letter F:. I installed Windows (XP home) regardless, and now have the system more or less how I want it except that I worry about the F: designation, as it clearly confuses some less intellegently written installation software. My question:

    Is it possible to designate the HD as C:, and if so will I have to reinstall from scratch?

    Thanks,

    Mark
     
    Ergath,
    #1
  2. 2006/08/24
    mattman

    mattman Inactive Alumni

    Joined:
    2002/06/10
    Messages:
    8,198
    Likes Received:
    63
    Welcome to the BBS,
    I suggest putting the DVD (any optical drive) on the secondary IDE controller (if you have 3 optical drives...one as slave on the primary controller, the other two as master/slave on the secondary IDE controller).

    Configuration...configuration...configuration...Real Estate?? :D :D

    Matt
     
    mattman,
    #2


  3. to hide this advert.

  4. 2006/08/24
    Ergath

    Ergath Inactive Thread Starter

    Joined:
    2006/08/23
    Messages:
    3
    Likes Received:
    0
    Thanks for your suggestion I have only one SATA hard drive, and only one optical drive on the primary IDE controller. There is an unused IDE controller, but it doesn't support ATAPI devices.
    My card readers plug direct into a USB header by the way.
     
    Last edited: 2006/08/24
    Ergath,
    #3
  5. 2006/08/24
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

    Joined:
    2002/12/17
    Messages:
    6,585
    Likes Received:
    74
    My bet is that the card readers have messed it up. The card readers are of no use during the installation of XP. I never connect any auxilliary hardware at all. I even keep any additional hard disk disconnected until XP has settled down on C:. After that, I connect additional hard disks and auxilliary hardware in that order.

    Have the card readers ended up as C:, D: and E: with the hard disk as F: and the DVD-ROM as G:?

    If so, my assumption was correct and there is nothing to do except reinstalling with everything disconnected as above. Changing the drive letter from F: to C: is impossible. Well, maybe not but I wouldn't know how to since Windows doesn't allow it to happen.

    If you decide to take it back to square one, download DELPART and delete the existing partition. This step will prevent a multiboot situation with the old installation on F: and the new installation on C:..

    Christer
     
    Christer,
    #4
  6. 2006/08/24
    Ergath

    Ergath Inactive Thread Starter

    Joined:
    2006/08/23
    Messages:
    3
    Likes Received:
    0
    Thanks for your reply, ina nswer to your question , no - the card reader is C: and D:, the DVD is E: and the HD is F:.

    If the DVD was G: I'd be happier, as obviously remove C: and D: and the HD should drop down to C:. Unfortunately, unless removing the card reader somehow means that the DVD and HD are recognised in the proper order I suspect I'd just end up with a system drive on D::mad:

    It's probably worth a pop though, even if it means a full reinstall when I've only just got it settled down.
     
    Ergath,
    #5
  7. 2006/08/24
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

    Joined:
    2002/12/17
    Messages:
    6,585
    Likes Received:
    74
    Okey, a near miss but close enough.

    WinXP remembers drive letters and removing one device does not make others move around. You can assign different drive letters in Disk Management for all drives except the boot/system drive, in your case F:.

    When installing I always:

    - have only one hard disk connected and no auxilliary hardware

    - create and full format only a single partition on the hard disk (even if I want to have more than one on the same hard disk)

    After installing I always:

    - go to Disk Management and move the CD-R/RW and DVD-ROM from D: to X: and from E: to Y: respectively (reboot to release the old drive letters)

    - back in Disk Management I create and full format the free space on the hard disk, in my case D: and E:

    - connect any additional hard disk, partition and full format, in my case F: and G:

    - connect any card readers (a printer may have integrated card readers), the slots will get drive letters in sequence after G:

    To watch out for:

    - new hardware can "steal" drive letters which means that hardware that is not connected is not occupying its drive letter and Windows will assign it to any new connected hardware, an example:

    My second hard disk is in a mobile rack. I can put any hard disk in that rack. When I put the third hard disk in it, the second can not be there and the drive letters will be reused. I will have to go to Disk Management and move them from F: to H: and from G: to I: respectively. The next time I put #2 back, Windows will remember the drive letters F: and G:. The next time I put #3 back, Windows will remember the drive letters H: and I:. This applies to any number of hard disks as long as there are free drive letters.

    Some speculation:

    - I don't have any card readers but I assume that they would occupy any free drive letter they find (as you have noticed)

    - I assume that the drive letters can be moved as for the additional hard disk

    Christer
     
    Christer,
    #6
  8. 2006/08/24
    mattman

    mattman Inactive Alumni

    Joined:
    2002/06/10
    Messages:
    8,198
    Likes Received:
    63
    I suggest changing the DVD drive to slave on the primary controller.

    If there is a problem with way Windows reacts, I would try booting to the Windows CD and running the Fixboot command in the Recovery Console. It may turn out to be an alternative to reinstalling.

    Matt
     
    mattman,
    #7
  9. 2006/08/25
    Rockster2U

    Rockster2U Geek Member

    Joined:
    2002/04/01
    Messages:
    3,181
    Likes Received:
    9
    Hehehe ........ If anybody figures out how to re-letter the system drive, I'd sure like to know about it. About the only solution as I see it is going to be for you to image your system drive to CD's or DVD's, disconnect your card reader and transfer your image back to the HDD. O, get another HDD and image to that and then transfer back with the card reader disconnected from those 9 pin USB connectors.

    ;)
     
    Rockster2U,
    #8
  10. 2006/08/26
    mattman

    mattman Inactive Alumni

    Joined:
    2002/06/10
    Messages:
    8,198
    Likes Received:
    63
    Me too. I'm only speculating, but if you were able to "readjust" the boot information and then do an "over the top" reinstallation of Windows, you may have some work to do to get it back to original, but it should all still be functional. It would depend on if the Windows CD was able to identify that there was "a current installation of Windows on the C: drive ".

    Have you tried anything similar Rockster?

    Good fun :) , just make sure your data is backed up.

    Matt
     
    mattman,
    #9

Share This Page

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Accept Learn More...